The Umbrella Collective is a six-piece band ranging in age from 24-47 based in Charlottetown, PEI, but trust and believe that this is not traditional East Coast fiddle music. With members hailing from PEI, Nova Scotia, Ontario, India, Nigeria and Rwanda, they draw inspiration from hip-hop, R&B, reggae, neo-soul and Afrobeat, woven together in a luscious funky beat-driven slow jam. The Umbrella Collective defies the boundaries of musical genres; their stage presence brims with energy and joyful soul, honouring their stated mandate of “radiating love and integrating community through their music.” They may be at the beginning of their journey, but you can take it to the bank that everything they do gon’ be funky.

— Shereen Samuels